A library is a vital part of any community, including Ogden. It is our mission to provide everyone a space to discover and develop ideas, information, and imagination. Libraries are a welcoming space for all and work to avoid political commentary, but we must communicate when politics is threatening our ability to succeed in our mission. Changes at the national and state level now threaten that mission.
At the federal level, President Trump recently signed an executive order greatly reducing the services and funding provided by the IMLS, the Institute of Museum and Library Services. At the state level, Governor Hochul’s proposed budget includes cuts to library funding.
Neither of these cuts would impact Ogden Farmers’ Library immediately or directly. Ogden’s Town Board wisely allocates enough money to provide a well-funded library to the community. However, both of these cuts would affect the library system we belong to – Monroe County Library System – and the New York State Library.
These cuts could impact Ogden residents in a variety of ways. The system provides such popular services as Libby, Kanopy, mi-fi devices, even the book delivery from other local libraries. Cuts to the State library could affect things like grants, library construction, and database access to the NOVELNY databases.
A lack of funding does not necessarily require that services be cut or reduced but it could result in cost increases. For example, MCLS could increase our cost of membership, which would mean that we need to find more funding locally. This could mean cuts to local services such as open hours or the Hoopla platform, or increased funding requests from the town, which would directly impact your taxes.
It is difficult to determine what will happen if either of these funding alterations occur. But if both funders left well enough alone, we would not be facing cuts at all. I encourage you to contact your elected officials to let them know your feelings about how important libraries are to you, and your desire to see them fully funded.
You can reach our national level elected officials at:
•President Trump: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
•Senator Schumer: https://www.schumer.senate.gov/contact
•Senator Gillibrand: https://www.gillibrand.senate.gov/contact/
•Representative Morelle: https://morelle.house.gov/contact
And you can contact our state level elected officials at:
•Gov. Hochul: https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form
•Senator Ortt: https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/robert-g-ortt/contact
•Assemblyman Jensen: https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Josh-Jensen/contact/
Thank you for taking the time to read this message.
John Cohen, Director
Ogden Farmers’ Library
